After much discussion, the Pope County Quorum Court authorized the purchase of two new patrol cars for the sheriff's office Thursday night.

Pope County Sheriff Jay Winters expressed concern Tuesday night at the Quorum Court budget committee that the department's full-time patrol units were posing a threat to officers because of the high mileage on the cars.

But Winters' original request for the quorum court to purchase 10 patrol cars and two administrative vehicles through a three-year lease purchase agreement was denied. Instead, court members authorized about $40,000 be taken out of Pope County's $89,000 general fund for the smaller purchase of two vehicles.

The court also agreed to bring the issue back to the table at its March meeting to discuss the particulars of obtaining a loan through a local bank to purchase five additional vehicles.

Winters said Tuesday night there are 11 vehicles at the sheriff's office with more than 150,000 miles, and he was concerned about safety.

Out of three purchase options, quorum court members who spoke on the issue favored entering the three-year lease purchase agreement through Ford Motor Company, which would cost the county $110,000 per year to purchase 12 vehicles.

Winters previously told Justice of the Peace Nell Warren, who asked Winters Tuesday night if the cars could be purchased locally, that the state bid was through North Point Ford in North Little Rock. However, after further research, Winters discovered he could purchase the cars at the same price through a local dealership.

Winters and Sheriff's Sgt. Jamie Jackson also researched interest rates through local banks and found the lowest offer to be 4.89 percent.

Winters told justices Tuesday all of the new cars would come equipped with LED blue lights, a console, new radar equipment, and new camera systems. With the alternate purchase deals, extra equipment would have to be purchased and installed separately.

Winters said without the lease agreement, state estimates show a Ford Crown Victoria would cost $20,560, plus the cost of including a $600 light bar, a $5,000 camera system, a $500 patrol cage, and a $2,000 radar system.

Justice Larry Pettus suggested the court purchase all 12 vehicles the sheriff requested be purchased, but his motion failed for lack of a second. Justice Warren told the sheriff although she was concerned about the officers' safety, she was also concerned that the county would not be able to afford such a high payment.

The discussion of patrol car purchases will continue at the March Quorum Court Budget Committee meeting.